Government

Among the deferred agenda items at Monday night’s Lancaster County Council meeting was a proposed ordinance that would establish a storm-water utility for the Lancaster County Panhandle.
Monday night’s discussion and deferral was the first many residents had heard of what will essentially be a new county department charged with managing storm-water issues and infrastructure in the Panhandle – and a new fee on their tax bills to pay for it.

Candidate filing for three Lancaster City Council seats and four school board seats will begin Aug. 1.
Candidates can file for city council Districts 3, 4 and 6 for a $35 filing fee. The current seat holders are Jackie Harris in District 3, Tamara Green Garris in District 4 and Sara Eddins in District 6.
School board seats for Districts 2, 4, and 6 are up for election and have no filing fee. The current seat holders are Tyrom Faulkner in District 2, Bill Sumner in District 4 and Margaret Gamble in District 6.

Lancaster County Council deferred action on a pair of motions related to Indian Land’s Avondale development Monday night, as discussion of the matter devolved into a testy scrap over Robert’s Rules of Order.
Located between Calvin Hall and Harrisburg roads, the 189-acre mixed-use Avondale development is to have more than 500 homes and 200 residences for seniors, plus limited commercial and retail space.

Terry Graham of Van Wyck won the Lancaster County Council District 1 primary runoff election Tuesday against fellow Republican contender Melvin Stroble.
Barring the slim possibility of a successful write-in campaign by another candidate, Tuesday night’s victory means Graham is the presumptive winner of the District 1 seat, since he has no Democratic challenger in the general election, which is Nov. 8.
According to the Lancaster County Elections Office, Graham received 860 votes, or 60.52 percent of the 1,421 ballots cast in District 1.

Susan Hunter Wallace squeaked by in Tuesday’s runoff election for Lancaster County auditor, narrowly defeating Allen Blackmon.
Hunter Wallace received 1,848 votes (51.3 percent) in the Republican runoff, leaving Blackmon close behind with 1,755 votes (48.7 percent). She will have no Democratic opposition in November’s general election.
“I’m humbled, and I know I’m privileged to be the next auditor,” Hunter Wallace said. “It’s not money and it’s not power. I give (God) all the glory for this win.”

HEATH SPRINGS – Heath Springs Town Council unanimously approved the final reading of the town’s $361,158 budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year Tuesday night.
The final budget doesn’t include any increase in the town’s water, sewer or garbage rates, but it does include a $2,000 increase for training and workshops.

KERSHAW – Kershaw Town Council unanimously passed first reading of the proposed $3.8 million 2016-17 budget Monday night, though its numbers are not yet finalized.
Mitch Lucas, the town’s interim administrator, said he is still waiting on the final county numbers on how much the town will get in property tax revenue for 2016-17.

Lancaster County Council took the first step Monday night toward approving a 2 percent hospitality tax. The first reading of the ordinance passed 5-2.
The tax would apply to all establishments that sell prepared meals and beverages located in the unincorporated areas of Lancaster County.
“Estimated revenue from the hospitality tax could be as high as $800,000 per year,” said County Administrator Steve Willis.